Beside You In Time
by ihkny
Summary: Song I:AU. Sakura finds an unlikely partner on the dance floor of the nightclub ‘Akatsuki’. Song II:Saku/Naru; focuses on their friendship, w/subtle hints at something more. Song III:Sasu/Saku; Char. Death. Song IV: Pein/Saku/Mada; 'Nuff said.
1. Closer

**Title:** Closer

**Author:**ihkny

**Characters/Pairing:**Pein/Sakura

**Type:** One-shot

**Genre:** Romance

**Word Count:** 2325

**Theme:** Nine Inch Nails #1

**Rating:** M (for the filthy, filthy language and the naughty duo)

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. Closer belongs to Nine Inch Nails.

**Summary:** AU. Sakura finds an unlikely partner on the dance floor of the nightclub 'Akatsuki'.

* * *

"Closer"

Rosette strands fell in waves over smooth, creamy skin decorated by the intricate design of a deep scarlet halter's backing. The sleek locks skimmed to just mid-back where they curled in to mini ringlets that swayed whenever a cursory glance was made around the establishment. Long slender legs were accentuated by black _Just Cavalli_ skinny jeans that crossed and uncrossed in agitation. Ebony open-toe Sergio Rossi pumps encasing dainty feet moved to the beat of Nine Inch Nails' rendition of '_Get Down, Make Love_' as she sipped her _Solar Flare_ – her fourth of the night - while she waited impatiently for her blonde companion and his boy-toy to make their appearance.

She'd been waiting well over half an hour for the cerulean eyed male and her temper was quickly rising at having been stood up on her only night off from her hectic life at the hospital.

_Hell_, _she had shaved and she was wearing pants!_

'_Hey, at least there's eye candy!' _her inner graciously informed her, passing appreciative looks over the bartenders.

Sakura had to agree, the three men taking orders were exceptionally attractive, _too_ good-looking to just be bartenders in her honest opinion, but she'd always been told not to look a gift horse in the mouth. So she was going to ogle unabashedly – the alcohol probably had a helping hand in that – at the pretty azure eyed blonde who had a hairstyle closely resembling her best female friend's. He caught her staring; returned it with a mischievous grin followed by a wink before focusing back on the task at hand. Further down, the fairest of the three employees was cursing up a storm and she couldn't stop the torrent of giggles that escaped her as she listened to him insult the man on the other side of the counter for being a '_completely useless piece of __shit_' and '_to not tell him what the fuck to do, he'd waste all the god damn liquor if he so pleased because money was a vile creation that worshippers of Jashin had no use for!'_. The tan red head of the trio watched the display briefly with dull grey eyes before turning away from the event with an indifferent shrug.

Sakura downed the last of the contents in her glass as another Nine Inch Nails song began to thrum overhead. Emerald eyes brightened as recognition dawned and she made her way for the strobe lighted dance floor. It was her night off damn it! She was going to enjoy it even if she had to do so alone.

_**you let me violate you.  
you let me desecrate you  
you let me penetrate you.  
you let me complicate you**__**  
**_

The lithe female maneuvered skillfully through the throng of slick, gyrating bodies moving to the pulse of the music searching for the perfect spot, she found it within moments. Charcoal shadowed lids slipped to hide beryl eyes as a hand rose to lace through cherry tresses. Her free hand came to rest on her flat tummy as her hips swayed to the beat, losing herself in the music. Her body moved to the rhythm as if it were second nature, unconsciously catching the attention of other patrons of the club.

_**Help me I broke apart my insides.  
Help me I've got no soul to sell  
help me the only thing that works for me.  
Help me get away from myself**__**  
**_

A lean body pressed against her backside, an arm wrapping around her waist to intertwine with the one already there, pulling her flush against the owner. Sakura stiffened, her eyes fluttering open as she jerked her head to view the person intruding upon her personal space. However, she was deterred from doing so as her captor's unoccupied hand caught her just under the chin from the left. A nose – a very awkward feeling nose, she thought to herself – was pressed in to the skin just below the juncture of her jaw and ear. Lips whispered against her skin, sending chills throughout her body.

"You're captivating… tenshi." A silky, deep baritone murmured just before a tongue traced the shell of her ear and captured the lobe between teeth. She relaxed against the unknown male, her head curving to the left to offer better access; his hand slipped down her body to grasp her thigh. The mouth ghosted over her neck, a light scraping preceding it, as if something sharp protruded from her companion's bottom lip. His tongue slid over her pulse point before lips pressed to the skin, sucking lightly on the spot. Sakura drew in a shaky breath as she moved against the stranger.

_**  
i want to fuck you like an animal  
**__**i want to feel you from the inside  
i want to fuck you like an animal  
**_

'_HELL YEAH! We've got a total hotty attached to our neck!' _her inner cheered excitedly. The rational part of Sakura's brain would have responded with something like _'How do you know he's hot, we haven't even seen his face.'_, but the man's voice was a good enough indication for the intoxicated Sakura to not argue with herself. A soft moan escaped her throat as teeth nipped at the soft, ivory flesh of her shoulder; a dark chuckle sounded from the man behind her. Inner Sakura squealed in pure, horrifying, girlish delight at the action.

'_Turn around so I can see his face! Do it! Do it now or I'll get the wire hangers!' _

Sakura blinked dazedly at the command – wire hangers? It was obvious her inner had watched _Mommy Dearest_ one too many times – before swiftly twisting in her captor's grasp before he could protest the action.

_**My whole existence is flawed  
you get me closer to god**_

Emerald green peered in to the oddest set of eyes they'd ever seen - the analytical doctor portion of her brain would have been running through the possibilities of having such exotic characteristics, but she was too inebriated for such actions. Thus, she settled for studying his unique attributes. Deep onyx pupils surrounded by concentric grey circles were set in slanted features, a nose, slightly too long for his face, was pierced with three barbels running through the bridge. Beneath his bottom lip were two pointed studs, and each ear was adorned with six hoops and a bar running the length of his visage. Titian locks fell over his forehead and every which way, giving the appearance of bed head. He wore a designer button up white shirt, and black jeans that fit snugly in all the right places. Sakura was sure if her inner had control, the man would have been divested of any and all clothing by this point.

_**you can have my isolation.  
you can have the hate that it brings  
you can have my absence of faith.  
you can have my everything**_

A large hand pulled her leg up around his waist as he stepped in to her, his legs on either side of her one, his other hand moving along the small of her back as he coaxed her forward, his smile nothing less than predatory. Heat stirred within her causing a blush to color her cheeks. His lips caught hers in a searing kiss; tongue trailing over her bottom lip just as his hand slid down to grasp her ass. She gasped in to his mouth at the action, moaning when he nipped her lower lip before sucking the wet flesh betwixt his teeth. She grinded against him, unconsciously seeking friction – anything to relieve the tension coiling inside her – he pushed back, smirking against her mouth before delving his tongue in to explore. Her tongue met his in a battle of dominance, his over powering hers as it searched the recesses within.

The hand groping her ass travelled over her hip, under the loose hem of her halter and up the flat plain of her abdomen. It traced the underside of her breast lightly before cupping it completely, kneading the flesh softly beneath long masculine fingers. Bruised, kiss swollen lips parted to release a shuddering breath as her back arched, pressing the supple flesh into his teasing caresses, her hips moving against his sensually. His thumb skimmed over a taut nipple prior to catching the pebbled bud between his fingers and rolling it. Her hips jerked against his at the action followed by her mouth locking on to his. Her tongue darted out to taste the metal of the pointed studs beneath his lip, trailing across his cheek and up his jaw to his ear. The low growl she was rewarded urged her on, the appendage tracingthe bar before running over the hooped piercings.

**_help me you tear down my reason.  
help me it's your sex I can smell  
help me you make me perfect.  
help me become somebody else_**

"Oi Hidan!" A loud, obnoxious voice yelled over the pounding music to the bartender behind the counter. Violet eyes snapped up to meet cerulean in annoyance.

"What the fuck do you want, brat?!"

"There's no need to be rude, bastard! I was wondering if you'd seen a pink haired girl around here?! She was supposed to meet me and Gaara, but we're kind of late!"

"Yeah, I saw her, fucking hot bitch she was, guess I could even see your faggot ass going straight for a piece of that. That freak Deidara took her order a few times." Hidan replied crudely with a leer as he recalled the female. The blonde and his crimson haired partner moved down the bar, ignoring the religious fanatic's rude words.

"Deidara! Have you seen Sakura-chan?!" Blue locked on blue as the question was shouted.

"Naruto, I have no idea who 'Sakura-chan' is, un." was the male's response.

"Ugh! She's got long pink hair, and really really bright green eyes and she's _super_ pretty, ya know?!"

"Oh, _her._ She went through four Solar Flares in a little over half an hour. She's a work of art, un. The expressions that flittered across her face so vividly… even Sasori-danna was watching her, yeah." Deidara said dreamily. Naruto glanced at Gaara who glared at the blonde artist.

"Where is she Deidara, she didn't leave did she?!" Naruto cried frantically, leaning over the bar to grasp Deidara by his shirt.

"Whoa, hands off idiot! If you mess up my uniform the boss'll have my head… and yours too, probably." He chided, smacking the blonde's hands away.

"Deidara." Azure eyes peered curiously at the stoic redhead that addressed him.

"Where is Sakura?"

"She's dancing with Pein." The two men turned at the silky voice that spoke up behind them. A tall, raven haired man stood beside the towering form of a male with blue hair and a wolfish grin. The shorter of the two's arm was extended, pointing towards the dance floor. Cerulean and jade orbs followed the finger. Eyes widened as their gaze fell upon the Rosette pressed flush against a lean form with a head full of messy orange locks. Naruto's jaw fell open in shocked surprise as he sputtered incoherently.

"Wha… what t… th…e… HELL!? He… he's tou…ouching Sak… Sakura-chyaaaaan!"

_**i want to fuck you like an animal  
i want to feel you from the inside  
i want to fuck you like an animal  
my whole existence is flawed  
you get me closer to god  
**_

Sakura whimpered as teeth grazed the sensitive skin of her neck, the hand beneath her top moving to massage the flesh of her neglected breast, tugging and pinching lightly at the nipple. His thigh pressed firmly in to the juncture between her legs as she moved in earnest against the limb. He could feel the heat that radiated through her clothing and his, her panting gasps and straining body signaling she was close to release. His teeth sank in to the flesh of her bare shoulder as he gave her nipple a particularly hard tweak, and she was shuddering, her hips undulating against his thigh as she came undone. She buried her face in his shoulder as she mewled quietly and road out her orgasm. Sakura drew away moments later to gaze up at him, before questioning:

"...who are you?"

"I am God."

_**through every forest, above the trees  
within my stomach.  
scraped off my knees  
i drink the honey inside your hive  
you are the reason i stay alive**_

* * *

**Author's note:** I've started a chapter story for this one-shot called Voodoo Stripes.The version of the song I originally wanted to use was some sort of trance mix that I've been in love with for years. I know it's a bit lame to be starting this series off with one of Nine Inch Nails' most popular songs, but I couldn't help relating this to Pein, and I'm a huge fan of PeinSaku. It's a couple you don't see much fiction for sadly enough, but hopefully you all will like this. I used _tenshi,_ I feel like such a lameass.

Sakura's a very deprived girl, but I think Pein could get me off dry humping him to Closer too.

_Solar Flare –_3 part Zodiac Vodka  
½ part Midori  
½ part Chambord  
1 part Tropical Juices

Don't ask me if they really make this kind of thing at night clubs, at _Akatsuki_ they do! BTW: The drink is supposedly the drink from Zodiac Vodka's March on the rocks recipe, figured I'd make it her favorite drink since that's her birth month. /shrug


	2. We're in this Together

**Title:** We're in this Together

**Author:**ihkny

**Characters/Pairing:**Naruto and Sakura; together or friends, your choice.

**Type:** One-shot

**Genre:** Friendship/Angst

**Word Count:** 2843

**Theme:** Nine Inch Nails # 2

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We're In This Together belongs to Nine Inch Nails.

**Summary:** Focuses on the bond between Sakura and Naruto.

'_Italics_' are flashbacks.

* * *

"We're in this Together"

_**I've become impossible  
holding on to when  
when everything seemed to matter more**_

Cerulean met emerald; one pleading, the other reluctant.

"C'mon, please Sakura-chan! It's been _ages _since I last had ramen!"

"Naruto… We're finally out of the hospital and the first real meal I've had in months I do not want to be ramen."

"Sakura, please…" he had used the tone – that tone he had found could get him just about anything he wanted from his beautiful pink-haired best friend. He watched as her shoulders slumped in defeat and she gave an exasperated sigh of acceptance. He gave her his winning smile – the one that made her forget all about whichever plight she happened to be dwelling on – and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards Ichiraku Ramen's bar. He lifted a flap away, pausing to allow Sakura to enter before him, following afterwards and seating himself to the right of her.

"Hey, Old Man! Long time no see! You too, Ayame!" Naruto exclaimed, barely containing the excitement he felt at finally being reunited with his beloved ramen. Teuchi and his daughter stared in wide-eyed surprise at the appearance of their once most favored customer.

"Naruto-kun, it's a pleasure to see you back after such a long absence! You as well, Sakura-san. What would you like to order?" Ayame queried as her father greeted the two cheerily.

"I'll have Miso!" Naruto declared while Sakura requested a beef ramen. Naruto twisted on his seat to face her, a small smile on his face as he gazed at her, a look of loving gratitude settling in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan… I just wanted to say… I'm glad you were there with me, that you made it out of everything alive." Blonde locks fell to cover his eyes as he leaned to press his forehead against her shoulder. A bandaged hand came up to run through the pale strands as Sakura smiled softly at him.

"Idiot… I told you we'd do it together. I didn't just mean bring Sasuke back… I meant everything."

"I know…" he murmured, eyes slipping shut as memories whirled through his mind at their most recent mission. It hadn't been easy, not by a long shot. They hadn't escaped unscathed either; mentally or physically, but they were still together and that was what mattered most.

* * *

_**The two of us  
All used and beaten up  
Watching fate as it flows down the path we  
Have chose  
You and me  
We're in this together now  
None of them can stop us now  
We will make it through somehow**_

_"Naruto…" someone was shaking his shoulder; wet droplets fell on his face, but where were they coming from? He was in a haze, everything blurred, nothing made sense, and his body ached._

_"Naruto… please wake up, you can't leave me…" _

_Who? Someone was calling a name. Naruto? Was that his name? The person sounded so sad… don't cry… Emerald flashed through his mind, followed by a brilliant smile and lustrous pink locks._

_"Naruto-kun….." there was a distinctive tremor in the voice; desperation and tears mingled. Closed eyes slowly fluttered open, blue peered through half lids, unfocused. His limbs felt heavy and icy rain fell from the heavens on to his muddy, blood soaked and heavily injured body. He willed himself to move; his muscles and tendons screamed in protest as pain erupted within him. His back arched minimally from the soggy earth as a roar of pure anguish tore from his throat. Fire coursed through his veins, every nerve ending ablaze with agony. Cool, soothing warmth flooded through his chest, extending down his legs to the tips of his toes and up his neck. His body relaxed, a ragged breath escaping his dry, parched esophagus. His eyes slowly opened again, this time focusing on the body positioned above him._

_"Naruto-kun… thank Kagu-tsuchi! I thought you had died!" Beryl eyes were filled with tears as the blood streaked face and drenched form of Haruno Sakura hovered over him._

_"Sa…ku…ra…chan…" A small smile played at her lips as she leaned over him, her head blocking his face from the onslaught of liquid ice falling around them. Her hands rose shakily to rest on his unusually pale whiskered cheeks, her thumbs moving lightly over the thin scars._

_"I healed the majority of your most life threatening wounds, dobe. You won… We won… I'm so happy you're alive…" her hands trembled along with her voice as she spoke. Silence reigned as they gazed at one another followed moments after by her body pitching forward in a dead faint. Cerulean eyes widened in panic._

_'SAKURA-CHAN!' echoed throughout the blood-spattered, body strewn battlefield. Heads turned in the direction of the shout as Naruto made to lurch upright to catch the girl; only to find his right arm completely destroyed and the left useless._

_**You and me  
If the world should break in two  
Until the very end of me  
Until the very end of you**_

* * *

_**  
Awake to the sound as they peel apart the skin  
They pick and they pull  
Trying to get their fingers in  
Well they've got to kill what we found  
Well they've got to hate what they fear  
Well they've got to make it go away  
Well they've got to make it disappear**_

"As the Godaime Hokage, I hereby appoint Uzumaki Naruto as my successor." Amber eyes gazed determinedly around the room; observing, waiting, daring.

"Absolutely not!"

There it was; the objection to her decision. The blond woman had been expecting as much from the old cronies. The stupidity of the council had never failed to manifest itself where ever the loud, obnoxious container of the Kyuubi was concerned; no matter if he was the living descendent of the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato, the prized pupil of one of Konoha's most loyal and efficient – deceased, she thought desolately - _Densetsu no Sannin,_ and someone very close to her and her own pupil's heart. She was rather surprised that they had the audacity to reject her declaration in the young man's presence, but then the council was set in their ways and lacked tact worse than the person in question at some points.

Tsunade prayed the boy would keep his temper in check as she saw his fist clench and his jaw tense in anger; she sighed in relief when he proved to handle himself.

"He's a demon container! He has no right to be in leadership of this village after all he's done to it." One of the middle aged councilmen remarked vehemently, pointing his chubby index finger at said blonde.

"Naruto is NOT the Kyuubi! How stupid are you?!" a voice challenged malevolently. All eyes turned to a young woman seated along a row of her peers, her shock of pink hair standing out in stark contrast to the droll décor of the room and her companions. She was standing, leaning against the railing before her with a fisted clutch, her emerald eyes narrowed to slits. The array of shinobi and kunoichi surrounding her appeared to share in her sentiment as they stared the council down with varying degrees of disdain.

"Be seated child, or you will be removed from this room." a deep voice of an elder member commanded before quickly dismissing her for the topic at hand.

"He is but a Chunin; he has not yet reached a ranking for even being considered a potential candidate for the title of Rokudaime Hokage."

"I have full confidence Naruto will rise swiftly in rank now that he is free of worries of Akatsuki abduction and he has managed to apprehend his follow teammate and returned him to Konoha. There should be little, if any, hindrances from here on out in his career as a shinobi of Konohagakure. You should all be eternally grateful for what he has sacrificed to protect the village. My decision is final, and as I have not heard any objections from the Elders themselves, Naruto will begin his training at once." Tsunade's tone indicated the discussion was over and brooked no room for argument.

Tsunade failed to repress the smug smirk that played at the corners of her mouth. No, Danzou, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu wouldn't dare to oppose her now; not with the information she had been presented upon the return of Team 7, Team 8 and Sasuke's team Hebi.

* * *

**_The further I fall I'm beside you  
The deeper the wound I'm inside you  
For ever and ever I am a part of_**

_Veins swelled along the corners of silvery white orbs set in grim determination. Blood dripped from the corner of thin lips set in a firm grimace and over a pale cheek from a deep gash; bruises, cuts, lacerations - even a large gaping wound from the razor sharp teeth of her opponent – decorated her rain saturated body._

_"Now! Behind you to the left, Sakura!" Her voice called out, informing her companion of their enemy's position. Not moments later did he emerge from the inundated earth to have a chakra enhanced knee connect with his chest. Hinata quickly moved in to position, concentrating chakra in to her hand as she twirled to slam her left palm in to the dichromatic man's chest, followed swiftly by her right before twisting back to knock him upward with her right again. With the quickly whispered words of **Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō,** she began to rapidly swirl as blue chakra created a protective orb around her and sharp blades of concentrated energy pierced through Zetsu's body in various places until a final strike knocked him briefly in to the air. The world around her slowed to a standstill as his body descended; she twisted from her initial form in to a crouch as he neared preparing for the final part of her attack: **Hakke Rokujūyon Shō.**_

_'**Now.**' She thought to herself as he fell in her line of sight. Her hands moved too fast to be caught by the untrained eye as they shot out to hit the tenketsu of the Kusa-nukenin._

_**'Two. Four. Eight. Sixteen. Thirty-two. Sixty-four!'** She counted off in her head, ending the quick succession of moves with a palm to his chest for good measure. As the golden-eyed male flew backwards, Hinata watched in awe as Sakura's hands completed a series of handseals before launching in to the air, her leg extending high in to the sky before she came back down, slamming the appendage in to Zetsu first, then in to the ground. The earth shattered under the force of the impact, and Hinata knew the fight was over; Sakura had just used her mentor's **Tsūtenkyaku** and actually landed the hit, he would not be getting back up. An explosion rocketed the area as a shout rang through the air._

_"RASENSHURIKEN!" Hinata watched as Sakura's eyes widened and her head snapped in the direction of the yell. The rosette haired girl twisted in the blonde ninja's direction before taking off, slipping in the mud in her haste. She wasted no time getting back up and rushing forward in to the aftermath of the attack, screaming for her best friend; not caring whether or not the battle was over._

_"NARUTO!"_

_Hinata followed the girl's retreat with sorrow filled eyes; praying that even if she could not be the one to be there for Naruto, that he would be okay. Her gaze moved to observe her other comrades and how their fights were coming along. To her left she found that Sai had joined Kiba, Akamaru, Suigetsu and Juugo against Kisame; the large sword wielding Kiri-nin was swiftly being overpowered and soon that fight would come to an end as well. With her Byakugan she could see the battle taking place some meters away between Sasuke, Yamato-taichou, Shino, and the red head of team Hebi. She quickly made the decision to accompany her fellow shinobi in the fight against the eldest Uchiha; Sakura could handle helping Naruto and Kakashi with Pein, assuming he had even survived the attack._

_**  
You and me  
We're in this together now  
None of them can stop us now  
We will make it through somehow  
You and me  
If the world should break in two  
Until the very end of me  
Until the very end of you**_

* * *

_**All that we were is gone we have to hold on  
All that we were is gone, but we have to hold on  
When all our hope is gone we have to hold on  
All that we were is gone but we can hold on**_

Cerulean eyes sparkled in barely contained anticipation as he stood atop the platform draped in the robes of the Hokage. Tsunade stood at a podium giving her resignation speech, but he couldn't be bothered with listening as he stared in to the crowded mass that had gathered for _his_ inauguration. Vibrant emerald caught his gaze and held it; his eyes softened and he flashed her a small smile. She returned one of her own and winked as she mouthed '_Pay Attention.'_It was then that he realized Tsunade was glaring at him as she called his name.

"C'mon Uzumaki, we haven't got all day and I'm ready to get to my beloved sake already without Shizune scolding me." The busty woman exclaimed in mock-annoyance. He approached her with an apologetic smile, stopping just inches away and bowed his head as her arms rose to place the Hokage hat atop his head. The rest of the formalities took place soon after and when it was all over the woman turned her gaze back to the crowd with a declaration of:

"I present to you Uzumaki Naruto, your new Rokudaime Hokage!"

Cheers and whistling erupted throughout the throng of people, a wide grin spread across his face; finally he had acceptance, the recognition he'd so longed for. _**  
**_

_**You and me  
We're in this together now  
None of them can stop us now  
We will make it through somehow  
**_

"You finally did it. I bet you feel like the King of the world." Naruto turned at the sound of his best friend's voice. Beryl shined with happiness as she gave him a lopsided smile of playfulness. He had been wondering where she had disappeared to after the ceremony; the celebrating had commenced hours ago and he was only just now being approached by the petite female.

"If I'm the King of the world, Sakura-chan, you'll have to be my Queen, ya know?" He gave her a cheeky grin as she rolled her eyes at him. She moved to sit beside him on the bridge Team 7 had always met at. Pink locks swayed in the light breeze as she leaned to lay her head on his shoulder with a small sigh.

"I'm really proud of you. When we first met and you told me you would be Hokage one day, remember how I thought you were the biggest idiot?" She paused; he didn't respond, it was a rhetorical question anyway.

"Inside I thought it was amazing, and I really admired you for it."He blinked in surprise at her admission. Of all things she could have said that was not one he had ever imagined to hear.

"So, yeah. I just wanted you to know, I've always admired you, even when I was too much of a superficial bitch to admit it."

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

_**You and me  
Even after everything  
you're the queen and I'm the king  
nothing else means anything**_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well. cough. This is sort of a two-shot, except that the next chapter will be Zero-Sum and from Pein and Konan's point of view during their dying moments I guess. We'll see how it turns out. My Naruto says "ya know?" instead of "believe it/dattebayo." In the Naruto artbook I own, there's an interview with Kishimoto, in it he declares that it's more like a bratty "ya know" than "believe it" - which is a stupid little phrase if I've ever heard one anyway.

_Kagu-tsuchi – _a Japanese fire deity. Figured, Hey, Fire Country, Fire God, why not.

_Densetsu no Sannin – _Legendary Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru.

_Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō – _Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms; Hinata's own creation, a combination between the Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin, and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

_Hakke Rokujūyon Shō – _the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

_Rasenshuriken – _Naruto's own jutsu; an advanced form of the Rasengan that destroys his arm when he uses it.

_Tsūtenkyaku – _Tsunade's legendary Painful Sky Leg. Combined with Tsunade's incredible strength, this kick results in either a gigantic crater or fracture along the ground, and can kill the person she is attacking. Sakura used it here.

_Tenketsu_ – chakra points


	3. And All That Could Have Been

**Title:** And All That Could Have Been

**Author:**ihkny

**Characters/Pairing:**Sasuke and Sakura.

**Type:** One-shot

**Genre:** Angst/Romance

**Word Count: **1745

**Theme:** Nine Inch Nails # 3

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. The song is Nine Inch Nails.

**Summary:** Inspired by Nami86's drawing _"First Time"._ She's one of the most talented artist's ever in my opinion. So this is dedicated to her. This is AU-ish as well; Teams 7 and 8 get to Sasuke before Madara and Zetsu, it's the only plausible way for this one-shot to be managed.

'_Italics'_ are flashbacks_. **'Bold Italics'**_ are thoughts or lyrics.

* * *

"And All That Could Have Been"

Endless orbs of ebony gazed emotionless at the cool grey bench of stone only inches away from the towering form of Uchiha Sasuke. Raven locks swayed gently in the breeze; the temperature was unusually cold for the Village Hidden within the Leaves, but it suited the day's atmosphere perfectly. The sole-surviving Uchiha disliked the cold, but today he was numb to the icy chill that seeped into his skin as he stood clad in the black funeral garb required for any ceremony to honor a deceased shinobi or kunoichi. Leaves swirled across the rocky earth beneath his feet, some lifting in to the air only to flutter to the ground once more; an infinite cycle though they never seemed to get any further from their initial point than they were before. He loathed this bench, it held too many painful memories; her voice still rang in his ears from the encounters they shared at this very spot.

**_breeze still carries the sound  
maybe i'll disappear  
tracks will fade in the snow  
you won't find me here_**

'_If you leave, for me… To me, it's the same thing as being alone! I… I love you more than anything! If you are by my side, I will make sure that you will not regret it. I will make every day more enjoyable, and you will be happy! I would do anything for you!' _

Purple rimmed lids slipped shut over smoldering eyes; trimmed nails dug in to calloused palms, leaving crescent prints in their wake as her voice washed over him. Cherry blossoms whirled in the air creating a tiny cyclone that surrounded his tense form; his eyes slid open once more to watch the pink petals, imagining choppy, shoulder length locks of the same colour twirling around her face as vibrant emerald eyes lit in delight and laughter bubbled from her smooth ivory throat. Crimson trickled over clenched fingers, dripping to the ground below. The rage and resentment that had been welling within the silent male was reaching its' boiling point; he abhorred that _fucking_ bench.

_**ice is starting to form  
ending what had begun  
i am locked in my head  
with what i've done  
i know you tried to rescue me  
didn't let anyone get in  
left with a trace of all that was  
and all that could have been**  
_

_The self-proclaimed avenger wasn't quite sure what had drawn him to this precise location, to this accursed stone seat, but here he was brooding over the most recent events that had occurred in his life. His Aniki was dead – killed by his own hand – but he felt no satisfaction, just confusion, and though he did not wish to admit it; regret, sorrow, and helplessness. All of the questions he had worked so hard to find answers to were buried beneath a landslide of even bigger issues; Uchiha Madara was still alive, and he wanted the bastard dead like he should have been years ago. One huge problem stood in his way though; he had been brought back to Konohagakure and though he had not been sentenced to death he was under strict probation. He was by no means to leave the village and had been suspended from active duty – he hardly cared to follow these orders and was biding his time before he would leave once more – and he was under constant ANBU observation unless he was with his old team. _

_Speaking of his former team mates, Sakura had been watching him from the cover of the trees for the past half hour or more; a presence which he had noted when he felt the team of ANBU tailing him disperse as they left. He was beginning to wonder if she was going to approach him any time soon; the once annoying fan-girl he knew seemed to have faded from the female as she kept her distance from him in the week he had been confined to Konoha's limits. _

_Exotically slanted eyes slid to observe the approach of said female as the click of her ninja sandals – __**fuck me boots, his mind whispered**__ – reached his ears. She stopped feet away, pressing a hand to her right hip and running the left through rosette strands as she sighed, her eyes were rolled up to peer at the clouds drifting in the clear azure sky above before they lowered to meet his gaze. Pale pink lips parted as a slick scarlet tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip with slight impatience and nervousness._

"_Look, Sasuke…" She had stopped adding the affectionate suffix; he wasn't sure when she had begun to forgo it, but he could say he appreciated the gesture. A slender brow rose in question at her pause; his eyes followed her as she moved to seat herself beside him. They sat in comfortable silence for what felt like hours; she staring straight forward in what appeared to be a daze, and he watching her from his peripheral. Finally, she stood and turned so that her side was facing him as she spoke._

"_You're welcome…" She whispered, a small smile flickering at the corners of her lips. She stumbled back with a startled gasp as he flash-stepped before her, gripping her wrist in his hold as he pulled her against his chest. A squeak of surprise escaped her parted lips as he bent forward to slant his smooth mouth over hers; savoring the intoxicating flavor as his tongue swept in to mingle with her own._

_He was unaware of when – or even how – they'd arrived at the deserted Uchiha Manor, but clothing littered the floor of his bedroom; his sleeveless haori, her white medic skirt, ninja sandals and knee guards (his and hers). He stood behind her, his head hovering over her left shoulder as her shirt slipped to gather in the crook of her elbows. Her long pale fingers brushed against the smooth skin just above and between her small, pert breasts, a faint blush marred her cheeks as she leaned in to his chest releasing a shaky breath; his large scarred hands came to rest on either of her upper arms as he inhaled her scent._

"_Sasuke…"_

* * *

_**please  
take this  
and run far away  
far away from me  
i am  
tainted  
the two of us  
were never meant to be  
all these  
pieces  
and promises and left behinds  
if only i could see  
in my  
nothing  
you meant everything  
everything to me  
gone fading everything  
and all that could have been  
**_

"Sasuke…"

He was abruptly pulled from his reverie at the sound of Hatake Kakashi's low voice. He released the breath he had unknowingly been holding in as he flexed the aching digits of his clenched fist before cocking his head to the right to regard his former sensei.

"It's time." Sasuke shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants as he turned to follow the retreating form of the ex-ANBU.

* * *

Sasuke stood in the front row between Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi as the Godaime Hokage Tsunade spoke to the mass gathered for the funeral of her prized pupil – Haruno Sakura. She appeared to be surprisingly sober; maybe she wasn't as complete a failure as he had previously thought. He drowned the crying and the Hokage's voice out as he stared blankly forward; wishing now more than ever his brother had not left him as the sole-survivor of the massacre. He drifted in to the haunting memory of finding the corpse of the only girl he thought he could have possibly loved.

_Uchiha Madara lay dead at his feet, the body unrecognizable to any who had not been present at the battle. The corners of the Uchiha's mouth turned down in to a frown almost imperceptibly - but a frown nonetheless – as he scanned the battlefield for his comrade's chakra signatures. His gaze swept over the Hyuuga girl hovering over a severely injured Naruto, ignoring her own injuries, to random Konoha ninja he did not know seeking the energy of the pink-haired female he had silently promised to protect – there a rapidly fading signature – his Sharigan whirred as fear gripped him. _

_He wasted no time, rushing across the body strewn field to the fallen kunoichi's side, catching Naruto's attention in the process. He ignored the blonde as he sped after him; his gaze was on the bloody form of one Haruno Sakura. An array of gaping wounds littered the petite female's body. Sasuke sank to his knees in the crimson stained grass as he pulled her limp body in to his arms. The back of her head was coated in the sticky substance; the largest hole decorated her abdomen as her insides slipped from the opening on her back; dull viridian gazed lifelessly at the sky above. Naruto's scream echoed in his ears as his chest constricted painfully._

"_SAKURA-CHAN!"_

_**please  
take this  
and run far away  
far as you can see  
i am  
tainted  
and happiness and peace of mind  
were never meant for me  
all these  
pieces  
and promises and left behinds  
if only i could see  
in my  
nothing  
you meant everything  
everything to me**_

He stayed long after everyone else had left, slowly rotated the twig of the cherry blossom he held as he hunched in a squat over her grave.

"Forgive me…"he murmured as the stem fell from his grasp to the soft earth below.

'_**You meant everything… everything to me.'**_

* * *

Author's Notes:

Right, so I totally know that they're basically only 15-16 here… In Naruto-verse that's like 19+ in maturity level in my honest opinion. Kids these days have sex at an even younger age (I say that like I'm old.), that's my only defense though, haha! The sex was just hinted at, because the scene I described is from Nami's art piece as mentioned before. Please review if you liked it, kthxbai!


	4. Beside You in Time

**Title:** Beside You In Time

**Author:**ihkny

**Characters/Pairing: **Pein/Sakura/Madara

**Type:** One-shot

**Genre:**

**Word Count:** 1796

**Theme:** Nine Inch Nails #4

**Rating:** Mature.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. The song is Nine Inch Nails'.

**Summary: **Written for Junior-Einstein, as a sort of request. Basically plotless smuttiness-ish.

* * *

"**Beside You In Time"**

The heavens' released their tears in thick, heavy drops in the early hours of the morning. A tall figure stood at the edge of a large metal creature's tongue gazing out over the towering buildings of Amegakure. Once spiky blonde locks hung in limp wet strands that clung to a bronze forehead and scarred cheeks as the rain slowed to an almost non-existent drizzle. A fat drop landed on the bridge of the man's nose where it proceeded to travel down the length of the pierced feature to drip from the tip on to full peach lips marked by a single spiked stud.

Amaterasu began her ascent from behind the far off horizon basking the sky in an array of colors. Purple slowly bled to red and pink hues that blended to oranges and yellows followed by green before finally fading into a vast expanse of varying blues. Tsukiyomi had long since disappeared in the never-ending chase for his vibrant sister. He often found himself pondering when the two deities would end their childish game of cat and mouse. The golden tips of the sun peeked out from their hiding place to observe the dawning of a new day. The sprinkle quickly returned to falling in thick sheets of freezing liquid as the figure turned swiftly to seek shelter within the Akatsuki's main base of operations, a pair of exotically slanted grey eyes consisting of onyx pupils surrounded by concentric rings gleaming cerulean as he moved through the darkness.

_**I am all alone this time around  
sometimes on the sides I hear a sound  
places parallel I know it's you  
feel the little pieces bleeding through**_

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_**this goes on, and on, and on**_

Raven eyes observed the peacefully sleeping form lying beneath deep indigo sheets. Scarred, calloused fingers ghosted over slightly parted rouge lips, a scarlet tongue darted out to wet the sleep chapped skin, catching the tip of a finger in its journey over the rough surface. Pale pink lashes fluttered open to reveal dazed emerald that focused sharply as they locked on ebony that quickly bled into the crimson of Sharingan. Petite porcelain hands rose to entangle in long dark tresses framing the stark aristocratic features of the Uchiha that continued to gaze predatorily at her. A squeak of surprise sounded from the female as he leaned forward, slanting a smooth, thin mouth over her own in a heated kiss. His hot tongue slid up the line of her jaw, flicking the lobe of an ear before trailing the shell to the top and nibbling on the sensitive flesh. The woman beneath him whimpered, pressing closer to the slender, masculine form beside her as fingers danced across her outer thigh. A low raspy chuckle sounded against her ear sending a chill down her spine.

"You're so submissive now, what would your teammates think if they were still alive, _Sa-ku-ra?_" A sharp pain erupted in her chest at the words that were spoken with a purr. Sakura willed her eyes shut only to be refused the refuge of her mind as crimson held beryl. Thin lips stretched in to a wicked smile at her attempt to hide, to resist.

"Playing with our Pet so early in the morning, Madara?" the quiet, silky tenor of Pein broke their staring contest, pale lids slipped closed as the crimson gaze moved to regard the Rin'Negan wielder.

"I see no harm in satiating the desires of this body. I require an heir and she will bear me many." Pein scoffed softly at the Uchiha's declaration.

"She will come to terms with her situation soon enough. You will have your heir. For now we will just have to continue persuading her." The titian haired male had already removed his standard ninja boots and his mesh undershirt. Sakura followed the movements of the powerful rain-nin as he slunk towards the bed, his attention focused solely on her. A startled gasp escaped her as she was lifted from the bed and positioned between the out-stretched legs of the dark haired Uchiha. Long arms wrapped around her torso, holding her upper limbs in place at her sides, her back pressed flush to his chest. The rosette haired kunoichi struggled to free herself from his vice-like grip.

"Let me go!" She cried, shaking her head back and forth in an attempt to move her body in his grasp. Her movements ceased immediately as her chin was caught roughly in a tanned hand. Full lips captured her slightly parted ones, wasting no time as a tongue plunged inside to explore. She jerked back in surprise only to be held firmly in place; teeth grazed over her neck as a hand cupped her right breast and began kneading the soft flesh beneath the tank top. Her tongue was slowly coaxed into action and lured into Pein's mouth where he proceeded to suck on the slick muscle.

"Heh, she doesn't seem to be as opposed to this now, does she?" The sole Uchiha's thumb stroked over a hardening nipple to emphasize his point; Sakura's eyes slipped shut once more, a breathy moan spilling from her throat as Pein pulled away. The hold on her chin disappeared and her eyes snapped open as her head was tugged back by the hair to reveal the smooth length of her neck; wet kisses and harsh nips awaited the delicate flesh. The tank top she wore was pushed up to expose pert breasts topped with rosy peaks. Pein moved lower on her neck, biting and sucking before soothing the angry marks with his tongue pulling away from the skin only to skip over the material of her top before bringing his mouth to engulf the distended bud.

"Ah…! St…op…" The rest of her protest was cut short by a mouth once more covering her own. Hands travelled up her sides to the underside of her arms which were nudged to lift, fingers skimmed to her elbows where they were forced to bend and her hands were guided to tangle in sleek wispy locks. She moaned as teeth sank in to the flesh of her lower lip before it was soothed and suckled. Teeth lightly grazed her areola as they closed around the nipple and tugged followed by the rough texture of a tongue flicking over the tip. Sakura's back arched at the sensation, lust quickly clouding all judgment and defiance she once held against the current events, preventing her from realizing that her panties had swiftly been discarded. Her legs were maneuvered so that her knees hooked over the muscular thighs of the Uchiha positioned behind her, spreading her open for Pein. Two fingers pressed against the swollen flesh of her clit circling the nub before sliding down the pink center to sink into her slick passage. The fingers began to pump in and out of her slowly; a hand kneaded the flesh of her left breast rolling the nipple between thumb and forefinger, tugging and twisting the hardened bud.

"She's dripping…" Sakura panted, hips moving to meet the thrust of Pein's fingers.

"You're so wet we can hear it, Sakura." Madara's eyes locked on Pein's, an unspoken message passing between them. Pein removed his fingers from the straining girl, leaving her unsatisfied and a whimper of disappointment sounded from a parched throat. The self-proclaimed god brought the sticky fingers to his mouth, his tongue darting out to taste the fluid covered digits in slow deliberate strokes, his eyes locked on her half-lidded glazed ones. Lust flared and heat pooled in the pit of her stomach at the erotic display.

"Please…"

"Please? What is it you want?" Madara gave her nipple a particularly rough tug before shifting until her slender body was positioned on her knees, the head of his cock nudging the entrance to her moist opening.

"Tell me what you want, _Sa-ku-ra_." He drawled, voice low and gravelly; she shivered and pressed back against him.

"I want you, Madara-sama." He sheathed himself completely at her admission, his hands gripping her hips tightly. Sakura cried out as he filled her, her walls clenching around him at the sudden entrance. Her arms bent above her head once more to weave into the raven tresses of her lover as he slowly withdrew before slamming back in to her compliant body. Emerald eyes fell on the relaxed form of the male reclining in front of her, his legs crossed indian style and arms stretched behind him to support his weight as he watched the scene before him. Sakura's eyes grazed over the features of her once best-friend mentally tracing the whisker-like scars on his cheeks down to the Hokage necklace that the man should not have even been wearing to the faded seal on his toned abdomen. She was quickly drawn from her thoughts as a hand snaked between her legs to rub the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. The hand lingering on her hip rose to turn her head so the youngest and sole remaining Uchiha could capture her lips in a bruising kiss as his pace picked up.

_**Now that I've decided not to stay  
I can feel me start to fade away  
everything is back where it belongs  
I will be beside you before long**_

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

_**this goes on, and on, and on**_

Pein silently observed the couple before him taking in the expressions of both as they moved together. Sakura's body was arched as she returned the kiss of the Uchiha moving behind her, her breasts bouncing ever so slightly with each jolt of her body. He could hear the sounds of their skin hitting every time they met. Her cries of pleasure were growing louder, her panting heavier as she neared her climax. Pein watched, transfixed on the scene occurring and then she was calling out a name as she came, Madara stilled behind her indicating he had reached the end as well.

He did not need the moon and the sun, for he had his own Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi here in his bed, and he would be their Susano'O.

_**  
**__**we will never die, beside you in time**_

* * *

Author's Note:

I wonder if anyone figured out what the subtle hints were pointing at ? …


End file.
